Rick and the Doctor
by Lord Maximus
Summary: While waiting for the Galactic Federation to come and arrest him Rick is visited by a very old friend and the two enter another debate that they had engaged in so long ago.


Rick sat in the bar, waiting for the Galactic Federation to come pick him up after he made that call to them, disguised as Jerry. He only had one drink so far but it was a very long one thanks to the wait. When he heard footsteps behind him he assumed it was a Federation officer coming in here to identify them.

Instead it was someone else who might be even worse.

"Finally killed your liver yet, Rick?" The person sat down next to him.

Rick spared a glance at the man. "What brings you here, Doc?"

"Something about a man making a call to Galactic Authorities and saying they know where Rick Sanchez was hiding." The man answered. "And yet I do not see a Jerry Smith around here."

"So what?" Rick rolled his eyes. "Offering to take me away in the TARDIS again?"

"And let you steal something from me again? I'd rather drop you in a black hole." The man glared at Rick. "I considered leaving you with the dinosaurs when they were killed, especially after that Cronenberg plague you unleashed, or the destruction of two miniature universes and everyone in it."

Rick noticed the man looking very angry. "Yeah, well don't let it get to you ya, Doc. I'm turning myself in."

"I know…" The man looked at him. "I warned you that you couldn't run away forever."

"This coming from the man who destroyed his home world after he ran away from it?" Rick shot back. "You know, Doc, we ain't too different. I fought the Galactic Federation to stop them from taking over the galaxy or the multiple dimensions in the multi-verse while you fought the Daleks across time and space. The only difference you managed to win while those bureaucratic pricks are still in power."

The man glared very darkly at Rick. "You skimmed over the price I had to pay."

"It was probably worth it. I still remember the arguments we had and I can tell you still believe in everything you did back then for that dirt planet and its people. The Time War wasn't enough for you?" Rick sipped from his glass.

"Don't compare our wars, Rick, you may know of some of the things I did but I did worse things than even you." The Doctor argued, signaling the bar tender to bring him a drink. "The only difference is that I learned from my actions, became better…after a few regenerations and changing my mind."

"You? Change your mind? The almighty Doctor changing his mind?" Rick asked, skeptical.

"I brought it back, Rick."

"Brought it…back?"

The Doctor nodded. "I saw what doing it did to me, I saw it from several different perspectives. So I changed my mind, all three versions of me present at the time changed their minds actually. They refused to use the Moment, changed everything, but made it _seem_ like they hadn't changed anything. I'd be the only incarnation of…me, to remember it now, remember doing it twelve times in a row. You could have asked for my help all those years ago, Rick. But you were too stubborn and knew I wouldn't repeat what I thought I did in the Time War."

"If you'd gotten off your ass and done the right thing without my invitation, the Federation never would have conquered as much as they did." Rick countered, pointing an accusing finger at the Time Lord. "You can talk down to me all you want, Doc…but at least I did something. It took you dying to get into the fight, and it took another three or four deaths before you really finished what you started. I didn't need to go through a few different personalities to make a decision, I didn't need to change myself, I just needed to choose…and I chose wrong, but I'd make the same choice again even if I knew it'd land me here with the Feds coming for me."

He downed another shot and emitted a burp. "You know why? Because unlike Time Lords, I only have one life, so I don't have the benefit of changing my values every time I take a fatal wound like you can. Speaking of which…I thought that schmuck with the taste for bad hats was supposed to be your last life. So why the hell am I talking to Highlander's crusty uncle?"

"The Time Lords gave me a whole new cycle," The Doctor shrugged, "So I'm free to travel the universe with a whole new set of faces. And Rick, I know you and I know you could have done what I supposedly did. So if you supposedly don't value life like you claim, why didn't you just unleash Hell on the Federation like we both know you could do at any moment? You didn't need to fight in any war like I did, you had everything you needed to wipe out every planet that swore allegiance to the Federation...but you didn't. Was it because not even all that alcohol and the drugs would have been able to numb that kind of pain? Did the mighty Rick Sanchez find that one line even he wouldn't cross?"

Rick looked away. "Why do you keep doing that? You keep thinking there's some part of me that really loves life and everything so pointless about it. What, d-do you want some kind of satisfaction out of me admitting it?"

"Rick, if I wanted to win some sort of argument I would have won long ago. After all…You came back to your family and you just gave yourself up for them." The Doctor replied. "I do this because you have to realize that push too far and your grandchildren will become like you and I know how much you hate yourself. I've seen your eyes and I know those eyes…I see them whenever I look in any reflective surface. That is why Rick, I am doing this one last favor."

"And what favor is that?" Rick put his glass down.

The Doctor pointed to the galactic equivalent of the television and Rick looked at the news report, his eyes widening as he saw a familiar blue box appearing between the Earth and the Federation fleet. The fleet fired on the TARDIS as it spun through space, negating the Federation weapons as it landed on the flagship.

" _Hello, hello. Testing, one, two, three. Is this thing on? Echo-echo!_ " The Doctor's voice spoke on all channels. " _Attention all soldiers and soulless bureaucrats, I regret to inform that this planet is a no-parking zone! Turn back now and we can all go home for tea._ "

The ships tried to fire again and this time the entire fleet lost power.

" _Maybe you didn't hear me the first time. Very well, we'll do the short version. I am the Doctor and this planet is under my protection. Before you ask what will I do let me tell you that others have tried to conquer this planet. Now ask yourselves, what happened to them?_ "

Rick was then showed images of threats that even the Galactic Federation feared, the Cybermen, the Daleks, monsters and creatures that were feared across the universe.

" _Remember this and remember well, I am the Doctor and if you are not afraid you will be._ " The transmission ended.

Rick stared at the TV for a second, before looking back at the Doctor. "I assume you made sure my family made it back first."

"I did." The Doctor held up his sonic screwdriver as he finished his drink. "Goodbye, Rick Sanchez. I know you've found what you lost."

Rick watched as the Doctor left the bar, finishing his drink. "Can't lose what you intentionally abandon, Doc."

The Doctor walked up to the TARDIS that was parked behind the bar, a familiar teen waiting for him.

"So, he's really doing it." The Summer from the original dimension Rick had come from said.

The Doctor nodded. "Yes, he is."

Summer looked at the bar. "Makes me wish he changed when he was still in our dimension."

The Doctor shook his head. "He has much to go through, Summer. Not even your grandmother and his daughter could reach him but your dimensional counterpart and Morty have the best chance. This only shows it."

The Doctor and Summer walked back into the TARDIS and a second later it was gone just as the authorities arrived.


End file.
